Community Options strives to help people with disabilities achieve their choices -- whatever those choices may be. These choices have included independent living arrangements within the community, steady work for a reasonable wage and a variety of recreational activities. Community Options’ has the goals of increasing the awareness of its organization within the community, doubling the number of those they assist, and expanding a supported employment program to find productive work for people with severe disabilities.
Community Options offices are established in response to local need for residential services. People with disabilities who leave an institution, or are old enough to move away from their parents and families, need assistance in finding a new home. Community Options staff assist the individual with a disabilitiy to find a roommate, hire staff and locate, renovate, purchase and furnish their new home. Staff meet with the families and the individual to develop a plan that is person directed. The plan incorporates the preferences of the person who is moving into a new home and neighborhood. Staff complete personal interviews and set up transitional visits to enable people to gradually become familiar with new surroundings. Community Options homes belong to the people who live in them and staff is responsible for creating an atmosphere of comfort and safety.
Community Options believes that everyone who wants to work can work. Community Options employs job coaches who assist with the on-the-job training and orientation of persons with disabilities as they become employed. This supported employment model has been effective in launching careers for thousands of persons with disabilities. Many people referred to the employment program need to learn about the community before they can attain a competitive job. This situation is usually attributable to years of institutionalization rather than type or severity of disability.
Community Options develops for each individual within their program a specifically tailored plan based on his or her needs. These are put together by an “identification team” and are supervised by a case manager. The particular services which the individual may access, depending on available funding include nursing services; occupation, physical or speech therapy; residential support services; training and habilitation services; foster care; minor home modification; respite care; assistance with adaptive aides; dental care; personal attendant services; and vocational support.
Community Options, Inc., in collaboration with Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), has been awarded a Department of Labor grant to develop employment opportunities for people with disabilities within the information technology industry. The Austin office of Community Options will receive a portion of the grant and will work with partners, Austin Community College and Austin Software Council, to develop long-term job placements for people with severe disabilities. Along with its primary partner, ITAA, Community Options will implement the program in Austin; Central New Jersey; Northern Virginia; and Denver, Colorado.
